VCH, OTCH, U-UD, HC,
WTCH Heelalong Boulder-Dash, UDX, MAD, GM, FbDCh
Nov. 18, 1988 - Sept. 11, 2003
What can I say about the dog who changed my whole life? My favorite, my
One-in-a-Lifetime. He is the whole reason I became obsessed with Border
Collies, and most aspects of dog training. Had he not been such an
incredibly smart and fun training partner, I probably wouldn't have so many
border collies, and sheep and 13 acres to put the sheep on, and spend most
weekends at shows, and most importantly of all, I never would have met so many
of the great people I know in agility and other doggy sports.
He taught my non-doggie parents to love and appreciate dogs. He gave this
shy person the confidence to get out there and do things in front of other
people, which otherwise I never would have done in a million years.
He was only sick for the last month, and I only found out two weeks before he
died, that he had cancer. But that was enough time for us to try to do as
many of his favorite things with him as we could think of, including seeing many
of his friends at an agility show. Up until then he was always happy and
perky. Everybody always said that they couldn't believe how old he was
since he acted so much younger.
He was my first and my favorite. I jumped into everything at once with
him, and he put up with all my training mistakes and had a wonderful performance
career. In agility, he got his MAD and GM titles, and was on the first
ever USDAA World Team, in 1991, where our team placed 3rd. That same year
he was also on the winning National DAM team, along with teammates Stuart Mah
and Shannon, and Sharon Nelson and Mike. He made the USDAA National Finals
in 1992. In 1994, at the DAM Nationals in Fairhill, he placed 1st in
30" Snooker, and was on the 4th place team, with his littermate Cobb and
Kim Duff, and younger full brother Chip and my husband Ed. His two
teammates have already gone on ahead to build the ultimate agility course, and I
imagine that the three of them are running the courses with the full joy that
they had as youngsters here.
During that same time, we also did Flyball and obedience. In obedience, he
went from Novice A to OTCH, with multiple High in Trial and High Combined
Awards. He also placed twice in the Super Dogs division at Gaines
tournaments, and was twice ranked in the First & Foremost system. He
retired relatively young from these sports, and we took up herding. Again,
I was such a beginner myself, yet he put up with my training and handling
mistakes, and got his ASCA Working Trial Championship, and AKC Herding
Championship a month apart at age 10.
After that, he took up his favorite activity of all - training people, even
perfect strangers, to play with him and give him cookies. He had so much
personality and presence, that it was always easy for him. He always had a
bag full of tricks to pull out, and could always find one that would get him a
reward. Sometimes he would just pick out a person sitting in a chair
nearby, and stare at them and wag his tail until they got up and came over to
pet him. He could dig for imaginary gophers, stare up at the ceiling until
he made someone look, beg, look for squirrels, and I don't even remember what
all else, but his favorite trick of all was one that a friend of mine taught
him, and that was to march with his front feet. That one never failed to
get him multiple cookies.
I can't believe he's gone. 14 ¾ years wasn't nearly long enough. We
had so much fun together. He was such a huge part of our lives for such a
long time. I miss him terribly. My heart is broken.
Felicia Whalen
